Political Science and Liberal Arts Education in New Mexico

Students seeking an undergraduate political science degree in New Mexico have many acclaimed, accredited universities and colleges from which to choose. Most of these schools require that students take a minimum number of credit hours in basic, foundation political science courses, including topics such as American politics, comparative politics, foreign/international politics, political ideas, and political analysis, along with electives in political science, history, economy and geography. These credits may lead to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in political science, depending upon the New Mexico college or university you choose.

Graduate students also have many choices when it comes to schools in New Mexico offering master's and doctoral political science degrees. These types of degrees are helpful to those who wish to instruct political science at the college level, work in top government jobs requiring a security clearance, or manage others in a business, company or corporation. Some political analysts, advisers and consultants may also benefit from having a graduate political science degree.

Political Science Careers in New Mexico

According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, local government jobs in New Mexico are expected to increase by 25.2 percent from 2006 to 2016. Jobs in state government should rise by 16 percent, while federal government jobs are predicted to grow by 3.9 percent. The government industry, however, is not the only industry to which political science careers are limited. Rather, political science graduates have their pick of many industries, including professional services (expected to increase by 28 percent during this period) and the information industry (predicted to grow by 20.1 percent).

Education is another industry in which one finds political science graduates, and not just in a teaching setting in high school or college. Groups such as the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico in Albuquerque employ political science graduates in political organization and advocacy positions. The education industry should grow by 24.6 percent in New Mexico from 2006 through 2016, says the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Health care, another industry in which one might not expect to find political science graduates, is also a major player in this field. Corporations like Amerigroup in Albuquerque employ political science majors to interface with Native Americans and tribal leaders living within the state. Health care is currently the largest industry in New Mexico, employing the most New Mexicans (101,610 in 2006). Jobs within the health care industry are expected to increase by 25 percent during the years 2006 to 2016.

How to Become a Politician in New Mexico

Per information provided by Emerge New Mexico, the state ranks 15th among all state legislatures, and 12th in terms of the number of women who are in elected public office. If you wish to run for public office in New Mexico, you must first receive the endorsement of your political party. Currently, major political parties in the state include the Democratic Party of New Mexico, the Republican Party of New Mexico, the Constitution Party of New Mexico, the Libertarian Party of New Mexico and the
Green Party of New Mexico.

If you have been convicted of a felony in the past, a run for office is not totally out of the question. You must obtain an official certificate of pardon from the governor's office along with a certificate stating that you have completed your sentence for the crime. Depending upon the office you wish to hold, you will need to meet certain age and residency requirements. Check with the New Mexico Secretary of State's office for an updated Candidate's Guide for the upcoming election. The Bureau of Elections may be contacted via telephone at 505-827-3615.